News

Plot to impeach Fubara thickens

Published

9 months ago

March 15, 2025

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara

Plot to impeach Fubara thickens

The political camp of the Rivers state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara was again pushed into a deeper trench by the decision of the state House of Assembly to probe the alleged age falsification of the Chief Judge of the state, Justice Simeon Amadi.

At its 135th legislative sitting, the House resolved to write to the Department of the State Service, DSS, to investigate the CJ following allegations against him by the Leader of the House, Hon Major Jack.

The House agreed that falsification of age was a “serious offence” but the allegation must be confirmed and doing so, the CJ has to be thoroughly investigated to establish the authenticity of the allegation.

Responding to this development, the Speaker, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule said by section 128 of the constitution, the House is empowered to investigate the allegation but quickly accused Governor Fubara of barring heads of ministries, departments and agencies from appearing before the House.

Remember that Justice Amadi was screened to become the Chief Judge of the state about three years when Wike was a governor. Unconfirmed report has it that Amadi, who hails from the same Ikwerre ethnic nationality with Wike, turned down alleged N5 billion gratification and tastefully furnished houses in London and America to ditch the governor and clear the grounds for his eventual impeachment.

Commenting on the CJ’s ordeal, Hon Ogbonna Nwuke, former House of Representatives member in the 7th National Assembly said the action of the Assembly members was just to intimidate the Chief Judge in order to get at the governor.

“The process of impeaching the governor is not easy. That is why they are intimidating the loyalists of the governor just to create a state of emergency, at most”.

READ ALSO:

Giving the quick succession at which events happened in the state in the course of the week barely few hours after the Minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday publicly declared that the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara could be impeached by the House of Assembly and “heaven will not fall”, it shows that there is more in the offing.

The minister’s audacity came just a day after a crucial meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the delegation of the pan Niger Delta Elders Forum, PANDEF, in Abuja wherein the latter was asked to go back home and prevail on the embattled Governor to “obey the rule of law”, in other words, the Supreme Court judgment.

Meanwhile, Wike’s impeachment threat to Fubara and his vituperations on the Ijaw ethnic nationality has since attracted the ire of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, SEA, a religious deity of the Ijaws and other revered topnotch organizations such as the Ijaw national Congress, INC and its youth wing, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC.

Recall that in the early years of militancy in the Niger Delta with Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states being the hotbed of the crisis, the Egbesu god was said to have been invoked to wade off the incursion of the federal troops into the flashpoints of the crisis.

Leader of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, SEA, an ancestral religious institution of the Ijaw people, Sergeant Werinipre Digifa, told Saturday Vanguard on phone that the Ijaw people would “shock” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the appropriate time in the event that the Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara is impeached.

Digifa hit back at the President who he said lacks the capacity to tame Wike. “Tinubu should be held responsible for the recklessness and arrogance Wike is exhibiting against the Ijaw nation.

“This is why I say that Nigeria is a banana republic. Somebody has turned the judiciary to his personal estate. He manipulates the judiciary the way he wants it just to suit his desire. If they impeach Fubara, we will not go into violence because Ijaw people don’t believe in violence. We will take everything in good faith. But we will shock them”.

The head of the Egbesu Assembly added that ”we are keenly watching the ongoing political trend which is pure harassment and the intimidation of the Governor of Rivers state. We are listening to the insults, the unguarded utterances and the abuse that is being heaped on the Ijaw ethnic nationality by Hon Wike.

READ ALSO:

”The Niger Delta is a community and when controversies arise in a community, reasonable people don’t jump in to talk. There is an African adage which says ‘two mad people never behave madly at the same time.’
“We are not sleeping, neither are we cowards. But note that we have always won our just battles and this will be no exception. This crass arrogance being displayed by Wike was avoidable”.

Digifa expressed disappointment that President Tinubu has allowed the crisis to fester, saying ”I had earlier thought that he had the capacity to rule Nigeria as a president, but from the showings on ground, it is evident that we had a misplaced value on President Tinubu’s leadership capacity.”

He warned President Tinubu that “by the time Wike finishes with you, the Yoruba nation would have incurred the anger of the Ijaw man. The spirits that have protected the Ijaw Nation over the years will bring the wrath on the Yoruba to teach them a lesson that could be worse than what has happened to those who attempted to humiliate us”.

INC’s position on Wike’s bluster to oust Fubara from power is that people should look at issues from the broader perspective and not through the prism of sectarian sentiment.

Professor Benjamin Okaba, President of INC, said Wike’s so called insult on Ijaws smacks off the smart game of giving it an ethnic coloration to get the sympathy of other ethnic groups and distract their attention from the sympathy they have for governor Fubara.

“When the Ijaws led the struggle for the creation of Rivers state, where were Wike’s ancestors? He quipped. “You don’t flirt after a hyena. Wike will regret, mark my words, and become a political orphan. When an empire rises to its peak, another empire will rise. We are heading towards the Marxian synthesis as the political denouement is already unfolding ahead of 2027.

“Wike’s bravado is clearly stimulated by nothing else but the tacit support and encouragement from the Presidency. Remove Wike from Power, he will automatically transform into an empty and most vulnerable entity in Nigerian political history”, he said.

In its declaration after a zonal emergency meeting, the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, Eastern Zone put the federal government on notice that it will stoutly resist every attempt by the planners to impeach Governor Fubara, “until he has served out his two tenures of eight years as his predecessors did, by any means necessary”.

The Ijaw youths announced that the planners of the Governor’s impeachment, “if they do not desist from their evil plot, should be ready to bear the consequences of their actions in the event of the breakdown of law and order in the State”.

Also, a statement from the Ijaw Matters viewpoint said the Ijaw Nation has been patient for too long, saying “our patience is not weakness. Nyesom Wike, in his ……arrogance, has crossed every line of decency and respect. His continued insults against the Ijaw people will not go unanswered”.

It said it was a disgrace that a man who once begged for the support of Ijaw leaders and communities now dares to spit on the same people who made him. “We will not forget. We will not forgive. And when the time comes, Wike will beg, he will crawl before the Ijaw Nation seeking mercy, but he will find none”.

The group vowed that “Wike will pay for every insult, every slight, and every word of disrespect. The day of reckoning is closer than he thinks”.

Plot to impeach Fubara thickens

Related Topics:Featured Fubara impeachment

Up Next

FG refutes US Congress claim of terrorists targeting Nigeria’s Christians

Don't Miss

Jobs: FG begins six-month free IT training for two million youths

News

Trump Adds Nigeria to List of Countries Facing US Entry Restrictions Over Security Concerns

Published

19 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Trends Admin

U.S President Donald Trump

Trump Adds Nigeria to List of Countries Facing US Entry Restrictions Over Security Concerns

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a Proclamation further restricting entry to the United States for nationals from countries identified as high-risk due to “persistent and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that threaten U.S. national security and public safety. Nigeria is now included among 15 additional countries newly subject to partial travel restrictions.

The announcement, published on the White House website in a fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”, outlines the rationale for the move. It comes after Trump previously declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” on October 31, 2025, citing alleged persecution of Christians.

The Proclamation maintains full restrictions on nationals from the original 12 high-risk countries—Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen—and adds five more: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria. Countries previously under partial restrictions, Laos and Sierra Leone, now face full restrictions.

READ ALSO:

The 15 newly restricted countries, including Nigeria, Angola, Senegal, Tanzania, Benin, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, are subject to partial limitations, with exceptions for lawful permanent residents, visa holders, diplomats, athletes, and individuals serving U.S. national interests. Case-by-case waivers remain possible.

The White House fact sheet emphasized that the measure is aimed at preventing the entry of foreign nationals for whom the U.S. lacks sufficient information to assess security risks, ensure cooperation from foreign governments, enforce immigration laws, and support national security and counterterrorism objectives.

Trump was quoted saying, “It is the President’s duty to take action to ensure that those seeking to enter our country will not harm the American people.” The proclamation reflects ongoing efforts to restore travel restrictions on countries deemed a threat to American security and encourage compliance with vetting standards.

The fact sheet also highlighted specific challenges, including fraudulent or unreliable civil documents, high visa-overstay rates, terrorist activity, and non-cooperation with U.S. authorities, as reasons for country-specific restrictions. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan, previously restricted, has improved cooperation, resulting in partial lifting of its visa ban.

This latest travel restriction Proclamation underscores the Trump administration’s focus on border security, national safety, and stringent immigration vetting.

Trump Adds Nigeria to List of Countries Facing US Entry Restrictions Over Security Concerns

News

Revealed: Why Buhari Withheld Support for Osinbajo’s Presidential Bid

Published

20 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Trends Admin

Yemi Osinbajo and Muhammadu Buhari

Revealed: Why Buhari Withheld Support for Osinbajo’s Presidential Bid

Fresh insights from a new biography reveal why former President Muhammadu Buhari did not support the presidential ambition of his former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. The disclosure sheds light on the dynamics of the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential race and Buhari’s silence during the contest.

According to the book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by Dr. Charles Omole, Buhari reportedly declined to back Osinbajo because he had no personal relationship with him. The former president was quoted as saying, “I don’t know Osinbajo from anywhere, I met him only through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”

READ ALSO:

The biography notes that Buhari was also reportedly surprised by Osinbajo’s decision to contest against Tinubu during the APC presidential primaries, which Tinubu eventually won to become the party’s candidate.

Osinbajo is widely seen as a political protégé of Tinubu, having served as Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State during Tinubu’s governorship. He later became Buhari’s running mate in the 2015 general election, forming an eight-year federal administration.

Despite their years in government together, Buhari’s remarks suggest that his relationship with Osinbajo remained largely formal and politically arranged, rather than personal, explaining his decision to withhold support during the 2022 APC presidential contest.

The biography, recently presented at the Presidential Villa, offers a deeper look into Buhari’s political relationships and decision-making during his tenure and beyond.

Revealed: Why Buhari Withheld Support for Osinbajo’s Presidential Bid

News

Senate Backs ₦54.46trn 2026 Budget, Cuts Oil Price Benchmark to $60

Published

20 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Trends Admin

Senate Backs ₦54.46trn 2026 Budget, Cuts Oil Price Benchmark to $60

The stage is set for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to present the 2026 Federal Government budget following the Senate’s approval of the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP).

The Senate, during plenary, approved a total ₦54.46 trillion 2026 budget, endorsing key fiscal and macroeconomic parameters despite concerns over a massive revenue shortfall recorded in 2025.

Under the approved framework, capital expenditure was pegged at ₦20.131 trillion, recurrent expenditure at ₦15.265 trillion, statutory transfers at ₦3.152 trillion, and Sinking Fund at ₦388.54 billion.

Lawmakers also approved an oil price benchmark of $60 per barrel, revised downward from the executive’s proposed $64.85, alongside projected aggregate revenue of ₦34.33 trillion, a fiscal deficit of ₦20.13 trillion, borrowings of ₦17.88 trillion, and debt service obligations of ₦15.52 trillion.

Other approved assumptions include crude oil production of 1.84 million barrels per day, inflation rate of 16.5 per cent, exchange rate of ₦1,512 to the dollar, and GDP growth rate of 4.68 per cent for 2026.

The approval followed the consideration of a report presented by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (APC, Niger East). The committee recommended downward adjustments to oil price benchmarks in response to global geopolitical tensions and volatility in the international oil market.

READ ALSO:

The Senate also sustained projections for crude oil output, exchange rates and inflation for 2026–2028, citing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s stabilisation policies and ongoing economic reforms. Lawmakers expressed optimism that tax reforms would drive economic growth and improve revenue performance.

The committee further urged the Federal Government to implement a National Scanning Policy under the National Single Window of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) to boost revenue assurance, reduce leakages, enhance transparency and strengthen national security.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed that the Federal Government recorded a significant revenue shortfall in 2025, with actual inflows estimated at ₦10.7 trillion against a projected ₦40.8 trillion.

Speaking before the House of Representatives Committees on Finance and National Planning, Edun attributed the shortfall largely to weak oil and gas revenues, especially Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Company Income Tax (CIT) from oil companies.

Despite the revenue gap, Edun said the government met key obligations, including salaries, statutory transfers, and debt servicing, through prudent treasury management.

He cautioned against rigid expenditure commitments tied to oil revenue projections, urging flexibility in spending plans amid recurring revenue underperformance.

Also speaking, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, said the MTEF/FSP emerged from broad consultations and balanced conservative revenue assumptions with ambitious targets aimed at improving agency performance.

Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, James Faleke, stressed the need for critical scrutiny to prevent bloated budgets and ensure fiscal decisions that would move Nigeria’s economy forward.